Lenore
by Mirai Cheshire
Summary: A very strange knight AU. The knight of creation has made a hard decision and the consequences last even after she's gone.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

"My Lady, I can't let you do this!"

"Chat..."

The knight in dark armor tightened his grip on his partner's shoulders. "They are sending you to your death do you not realize that?"

"I know it is a lost cause, but I can hold off the enemy so reinforcements can arrive."

"I can't be there for you." Chat backed away as Ladybug gently forced him to release his grip on her.

"I know. I wasn't talking about you." The blunette's blue eyes stared into her blonde partner's green. "I was referring to Rena, Bee, and Carspace."

"You don't trust me?"

"You are needed on a different battlefield." Ladybug explained. "Your cataclysm is more effective on the battlefield than my lucky charm."

Chat's arms fell to his side. He couldn't argue with her. He couldn't tell her the truth, why he didn't want her to fight on that battlefield.

"It's funny," Ladybug said with a smile. "I have a feeling that I'll see you there."

* * *

When she wasn't the great knight Ladybug, she was Marinette, the normal daughter of two bakers who used to be knights. After her conversation with Chat, she had escaped from the confines of the palace and gone to her parents. As former knights they were partial to secret knowledge that only higher ups would notice. It was also their past as knights that led to Ladybug existing in the first place. Whether or not that was a good thing was currently up in the air. It was certainly leaning more on the negative side with Ladybug's impending death on the battlefield.

"I have to side with Chat Noir on this," Her father said. "Why can't they send him with you?"

"Chat Noir's abilities can't be used in the area the battle will be." Marinette answered and tried to smile to comfort her father. "And if both knights fall, they get both miraculous. It's better they keep the miraculous for destruction so it can destroy the miraculous for creation." This felt wrong. She was scared. She knew she would die in this battle. She knew she'd leave behind all of the people that cared about her, and when Marinette disappeared the same day Ladybug died, it wouldn't be hard to piece everything together. The Ladybug miraculous would end up in the enemy's hands and Chat Noir would have to destroy them.

Her thoughts were interrupted when the door flew open and Al-Ladybug's friend, Rena Rouge, came running in her eyes wide. He hair was slightly wild, uncommon for a super powered state. Usually their appearance couldn't be ruffed up.

"Lady Rena," Her parents politely bowed. "To what do we owe the honor?"

"I was told Ladybug was here." Rena said. Something was off about her. Rena looked around the empty bakery, studying everything. "Chat Noir is looking for her."

"It's probably nothing." Marinette laughed nervously. "Maybe just another attack-"

"He's challenging her to a duel."

Those words caused the mood of the room to shift from uncertainty to dread. No knights had dueled since the previous Ladybug and Chat Noir. The reason for that duel was still trying to be understood, but it had led to the King banning those conflicts. Chat Noir was either convincing enough that the king allowed it or he was going against the king.

"But...why?" He couldn't be that upset about me going to that battle.

"I don't know," Rena shook her head. "He's waiting at the courtyard for Ladybug. I thought she'd be here, but now..."

"I'll help you look for her." Marinette stepped forward. The dark red haired girl nodded and ran out of the store.

 _Why would he be this upset? We both knew something like this would happen when we agreed to be knights._

"Are you going to fight him?" Sabine asked.

"I have to," Marinette said. "If I don't Chat will come looking for her. It's best to just end this quickly."

"Be careful, Ladybug."

Ladybug's iconic red armor appeared on the blue haired girl. "I'll try to be." She walked out of the bakery swinging her weapon. "Now which way did Rena go?"

* * *

Chat's green eyes locked onto her the moment she entered the courtyard. They pierced through her and looked intent on trying to figure out her reason for being here.

 _As if you don't already know._ Ladybug stared back at Chat. _Are you hoping to make me back down and change my mind?_

"My Lady," Chat slid off his perch and fell, landing gracefully on his feet. It was at this moment Ladybug began to fully understand the gift that Tikki and Plagg had given them. Other knights had the armor that was large and made moment difficult because of the ruckus and how hard it was to move. Ladybug and Chat Noir's fairy companions made an armor that was functional, not creating any noise and protected them far better. Rena, Carapace, and Queen Bee had their own unique armor, but the entire group was unanimous in their belief that Ladybug and Chat had the best armor.

"Isn't challenging me to a duel going against our code, Chat?"

"The royal family approved of this duel. They don't want to lose you either."

"How nice." The blue haired knight started to play with her yoyo. No, playing wasn't the right word, she was warming up. She was getting ready to fight. She still listened to Chat as she did.

The blonde slowly pulled his staff out. "Why are you so eager to go and fight? Don't you care about us? The people left behind?"

 _Trying to guilt trip me? Manipulative little cat._ Ladybug smirked internally. At the same time she was a little annoyed. "Of course I care, Chat. But as Ladybug I promised to serve the royal family. I'm scared of dying," Chat's grip on his staff tightened. "Everyone is. But this battle could be the turning point."

"Then what was all that talk of being partners?" Chat shouted. "If we go together then chances your of winning and living go up!"

"They need you, Chat!"

" _I need_ _you_!" The brokenness in Chat's voice caused Ladybug to freeze. "I don't have anyone else!"

"I'm sorry, Chat. But I am still going."

The blonde's grip on the staff tightened to the point that it looked like it would snap in half. "I don't want to lose you."

"Chat-" Ladybug's partner lunged towards her and began their duel. _You foolish cat. I'm sorry._

* * *

 **A/N: I am so sorry for the terrible quality of this story! Also for posting a story when I have a lot that are unfinished, but there's a reason. I have a poll open that asks what the next fandom I write for should be. This poll is open all year so the results won't be decided by three people. It's also so I can thank you guys for reading my stories and find more ways to entertain you. I come up with different ideas for different fandoms and I don't want to constantly create a new one that nobody would want. Currently my plan for the poll is to release at least three stories for whichever choice wins at Christmas as a gift.**

 **This is a present for having to wait for so long.**

 **Anyway, thank you for reading and I hope you enjoyed! Leave a review on your way out!**

 **~Mirai**


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Chat Noir had broken down when word spread of Ladybug's death. Adrien Agreste was inconsolable when the body was recovered. She'd been so close to him. She'd been the daughter of the bakers whose shop he loved to visit. They'd had conversations in that shop. The atmosphere reminded him of his home before his mother died. She reminded him of those times.

Ladybug had always been the one that kept Chat Noir grounded while Marinette Dupain-Cheng had been the one that made Adrien happy. Now there was nobody to keep Chat Noir from being wild and nobody to help Adrien smile.

The prince had been forbidden to leave the palace. There was still a war going on and sending the prince out further than the palace was a risk, especially after loosing one of the two most powerful knights in the kingdom. Adrien remained in his room until he heard that Chat Noir would be attending the funeral to honor his fallen comrade.

It was almost time. "Plagg," the small spirit appeared in front of him with a sympathetic look. Adrien didn't bother to look at him as he spoke the words to change into his alter ego. The black armor that was Cat Noir's appeared on his body. His hair began to become wilder, one of the other reasons Chat Noir was well known. No other knight had messy hair like him. Ladybug once told him that her first thoughts on him had been slightly negative because of that. She had thought that he wouldn't pull his weight or that he was some kind of rouge. Some days when there was nothing to do but they had to stand guard, they'd spend time trying to smooth Chat's hair down.

 _At least try to make it look neat._ Ladybug would jokingly scold him whoever they met up.

It looked like today it was going to listen. His hair began to flatten and didn't return to its original look. Once he was sure it would stay that way, he headed out. Master Fu would create a believable reason as to why Prince Adrien was hard to find.

* * *

 _Her earrings were gone._

The earrings that held Ladybug's power were gone. Chat felt rage. Red was bleeding into his vision, but he held back. It wouldn't do any good for this kingdom to lose two knights and a prince. He wanted to scream. He wanted to go and find whoever had done this to his lady and make them pay. But he stood there. He stood there and watched the blue haired girl laying in her coffin.

She'd been cleaned up. Her usual clothing was replaced with a dress that reminded everyone who she was. A red and black spotted off the shoulder dress with a loose sash that fanned out underneath her. Only Chat knew, but small bits of armor had been incorporated into the funeral dress. It gave her a beautiful appearance while subtly hinting at her power. Considering how Marinette always designed her clothes, Chat had a theory that she was the one who came up with this outfit. He wouldn't know if that was true or not. Marinette couldn't tell him.

Someone began to speak about the honorable Ladybug and her noble sacrifice. Chat tuned them out and thought about his own time with his lady.

* * *

Master Fu convinced his father to let Chat Noir go out onto the battlefield and fight. He had said something about Miraculous defeating Miraculous, but Adrien had been to focused on finally being allowed to fight. He could avenge his lady now.

He had set out with Carapace at his side. Rena Rouge and Queen Bee would be joining later. Cat defeated enemy after enemy searching for something.

He'd been told that he had to stay behind so the kingdom still had a powerful miraculous. When Ladybug had told him that, he was too worried about her. Now that he could think clearly, he understood. Cataclysm had been used multiple times. He actually forgot how much he had used it. He destroyed hiding spots, supplies, villages, the list went on.

Rena used her illusionary powers to make enemy soldiers in front of the group stop and look around confused. Then Chat and Queen Bee struck. The yellow knight's trompo knocked their enemies feet out from underneath them as Chat hit them with his staff. The group of knights went down and didn't get back up.

Slowly Chat approached a knight whose red armor looked very similar to another red knight's armor.

"Don't do anything dangerous, Chat." Carapace said. The green knight didn't move to stop him, but readied his shield in case.

Chat rolled his eyes. "Relax, Carapace." He bent down and looked at the knight's ears. There were red earrings. Chat took them off and stood up. "I got what we came for. We can go back now."

* * *

 **A/N: Sorry for the terrible ending, but yes, this was a two-shot. This ones about Chat after Ladybug goes off and dies in that battle. I didn't trust myself to write a good fight scene where Ladybug dies, so I hope Chat getting her earrings back is good enough for you.**

 **Anyway, thank you for reading! Please leave a review on your way out, I love to read them!**

 **~Mirai**


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